Saturday 7 April 2018

Aotearoa Maori Performing Arts Festival to Te Matatini o te Ra 2000-2009

Rotorua Kapa Haka Teams 

2000Aotearoa Maori Performing Arts Festival held in Ngaruawahia on 1st– 3rd February 2000.

Competing this time at Turangawaiwai were Ngati Rangiwewehi, Te Mātārae i Ōrehu, Nga Pumanawa e Waru and Tuhourangi/Ngati Wahiao. For a list of the performers and photographs, see pgs. 10-11 of the Daily Post 27th February 2000.

The TOP 4 :
1. Ngati Rangiwewehi aimed to take back their winning title of 1996 and went into the festival as favourites to win. This group dates back to 1968 when they first performed at the opening of the Wharekai at Awahou Marae.

Ngati Rangiwewehi is the most successful of Te Arawa Kapa Haka groups.  National title holders 1983 & 1996 and featuring in the top six at the Aotearoa Maori Performing Arts Festival since it began in 1972.

In 1983 this group represented NZ at the South Pacific Arts Festival in Tahiti 1985 and Western Samoa in 1996. This kapa haka group also featured in the opening ceremony of the 1990 Commonwealth Games in Auckland.

2. Te Mātārae i Ōrehu was formed in 1994. The group began under leadership from the late Te Irirangi Tiakiawa Tahuriorangi. The name chosen for the group is from a sacred headland on Lake Rotoiti, the home of Ngati Rongomai and Ngati Hinekura.

Group tutor and co-founder Wetini Mitai-Ngati revived old ancient traditions. On the occasion of their first performance in the Te Arawa Maori Arts Festival in 1995 Wetini was awarded the Kaitataki Tane trophy. This group were invited to perform at the Wellington Military Tattoo. 

3. Nga Pumanawa E Waru.
Leader Wiremu Williams & Taini Morrison started this group which includes Rewa Ututaonga, Vanessa Eparaima…
6th place getter in the 1994 competition at Hawera

4. Tuhourangi/Ngati Wahiao. This group began competing under their tribal name in 1986. They have ranked highly since then, always in the top six. This year the Kaitataki Tane will be Warena Morgan and the Kaitataki Wahine will be Traysie Eparaima. DP 1st Feb 2000 + 9 March 2000

And the Winners were - Te Mātaārae i Ōrehu, Rotorua.


2001 – Te Arawa Arts Festival held at the Sportsdrome on the 10th March hosted by Temuera Morrison and Maureen Waaka. 

Seven teams vying for the top 4 places are Ngati Rangiwewehi, Te Mātārae i Ōrehu (current champions) Tuhourangi/Ngati Wahiao (3 teams), Ngati Pikiao and Te Wananga O Aotearoa, see Daily Post 27 Feb 2001.

2002 - Aotearoa Maori Performing Arts Festival held at Auckland: Representing Te Arawa were : Te Mataarae i Orehu, Ngati Rangiwewehi, Ngati Pikiao and Tuhourangi Ngati Wahiao.
Overall Winners: Waihirere.


2005 – Te Arawa boycott Matatini

In Daily Post on 29 Oct 2005 – “The inaugural Te Arawa Kapa Invitational Festival is less than a month away and organisers are preparing for an explosion of kapa haka talent.

The controversial festival is being held after Te Arawa boycotted the national festival, Te Matatini, this year amid concerns about the future direction of the competition.

Event organiser and deputy mayor Trevor Maxwell said Te Arawa kapa haka committee wanted to provide something for the iwi's groups who did not take part at this year's national festival.

Mr Maxwell said there were many good reasons for holding the invitational festival, including Rotorua's own historical celebrations. The competition's theme is The Birth of Rotorua - 125 Years Celebration.

The competition will be hosted by MC's Scotty and Temuera Morrison at the Rotorua Arena at Rotorua Girls' High School the following day.”

2007 - In Palmerston North on February 22nd to 25th.
Overall Winners 2007: Te Kapa Haka o Whangārā Mai Tawhiti.

Te Arawa Festival : In Daily Post on 20 Nov 2007 - "Eight Te Arawa teams took to the stage including Ngati Rangiwewehi, Nga Uri o Te Whanoa in their first public performance, Nga Huia Kaimanawa, Ngati Pikiao, Ngati Whakaue, Rongomai, Te Mataarae I Orehu and Ngati Wahiao. There were also five invited teams from outside Te Arawa's rohe (boundary) - Taniwharau, Taonga Mai Tawhiti, Te Iti Kahurangi, Te Rautahi and Tu Te Manawa Maurea" 


2009 – Te Arawa Regional Winners to perform at Te Matatini in Tauranga 21-22 February 2009. Tuhourangi-Ngati Wahiao; Te Mataarae I Orehu; Nga Uri o Te Whanoa and Manaia. in Daily Post on 18 Feb 2009. 
Profile : Nga Uri o Te Whanoa : "A group predominantly made up of recognised kaihaka and extended whanau that have been profoundly blessed through the teachings of Atareta Maxwell". in Nga Tatangi a Te Whare Karioi pg. 70 (this book is available from the Maori Collection on the 1st Floor of Te Aka Mauri Rotorua Library.

Overall Winners 2009: Te Waka Huia.